


New Moments

by iamfitzwilliamdarcy



Category: Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-01
Updated: 2015-01-01
Packaged: 2018-03-04 18:24:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,067
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3080810
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iamfitzwilliamdarcy/pseuds/iamfitzwilliamdarcy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The team brings in the New Year in their own ways</p>
            </blockquote>





	New Moments

**Author's Note:**

> A gift for a tumblr friend; I'm not very good at timelines, but I figure it takes place sometime in the 5 year gap between season 1 and 2, probably the immediate year after season 1 actually
> 
> Also, there are mentions of underage drinking if that bothers anyone

“Suit up. We’re going out tonight.” Dick looks away from Ryan Seacrest and whatever band’s just performed at the New Years’ Eve festivities in Times Square.

“Tonight?  _Really?_ The Ball’s going to drop in just—” he checked the clock quickly, “ _fifty-four_ minutes, Bruce.” Bruce raised his eyebrows, and Dick, grumbling halfheartedly, got up and followed him down to the Cave. 

Fifteen minutes later, they were swinging over Gotham. “Where are we going anyway?” Robin asked, landing next to Batman on a rooftop. Batman smiled at Robin under the cowl. “You’ll see.” 

“Oo-kay,” Robin said, following Batman as he took off again. Batman didn’t seem to have crime-fighting plans for the evening, and there was no mission they were working off, or he’d have given Robin at least a little information. The big guy was broody and secretive, but not usually so _mysterious_. It was weird.

They were headed towards the docks. “Is there a major drug deal going down or something?” Robin asked once he realized where they were going.

“Maybe,” Batman said. “But that’s not what we’re going there for.”   

“Can you just tell me?” Robin said, frustrated. “Is that so hard?” Batman just gave him another smile.

“No one’s going to be scared of you if you keep doing that,” Robin told him.

 “You manage to intimidate them,” Batman said with a shrug. “Come one, next building over.”

It was one of the highest points in Gotham, overlooking the harbor, and they went to the very top. “And now we wait,” Batman said. “It should be starting soon.” 

“ _What_ is starting soon?” Robin demanded, folding his arms. “I’m your partner; I have the right to—.” He was interrupted by explosions from behind, and, startled, he turned quickly. Fireworks, red and green and gold and white, illuminated the water. Robin opened his mouth, awed. “Oh,” he said.

“Bruce Wayne organized and funded an actual city-sponsored fireworks show so that it wouldn’t just be kids blasting them off illegally in the city,” Batman said. He dropped an arm and cape over Robin’s shoulder, for warmth, and pulled him to his side.

The kid barely noticed, still staring off as the fireworks flickered and danced over the water, but he did lean into Batman’s side. “Thanks, B,” he whispered, and they sat down together to watch, feet dangling over the edge of the roof.

*********** 

“Artemis!” her mother’s voice pulled her away from the window she was staring out of. She could have sworn she caught sight of movement on one of the roofs, but she couldn’t see anything in the darkness outside. 

“Yeah, Mom?” she called back, turning away from the spot where her breath had fogged up the window.

“Do you want some sparkling grape juice?” her mom said, wheeling into the entranceway of her room. “It’s almost midnight, just a few more minutes left.”

“Sure.” Artemis followed Paula into their living room, where two glasses waited for them.

“Are you sure you’re okay here, not out with your friends?”

Artemis rolled her eyes, but smiled. “Mom, I’m  _fine_. None of my friends from Gotham North even talk to me anymore, and everyone at Gotham Academy is on vacation. And the Team’s doing, you know, whatever it is they do.” 

“Just you and me then, Artemis,” Paula said, turning the TV on. “I heard Gotham City is doing a fireworks show. You could probably still make it.”

“Just you and me, Mom,” Artemis agreed, ignoring the last part. She tucked her feet up under her and took a sip from her glass. 

The Ball started to drop not long after, and she and her mom counted down with the TV, loud and happy in a way they hadn’t been for so long. When it reached the bottom they both cheered and clinked glasses. Paula kissed Artemis’ cheek.

“I am glad you are here,” she said, “And I am proud of what you have done with your team and the Justice League.” 

“Mo-oom,” Artemis groaned. But she kissed her back and whispered a thanks. It hadn’t been a bad year, all things considered. 

***********

“You’re letting me drink?” Conner asked, eyeing Clark suspiciously.

 Clark laughed. “One glass of champagne never hurt anyone,” he said. Conner accepted it but didn’t sip yet. “Besides, I think there’s an exception in the law about underage kids drinking at home with their guardians.

“You just seem so…” Conner waved his hand, looking for a word.

 “Straight-laced?” Clark supplied, and Conner nodded. “Usually,” he agreed. “But it’s New Year’s Eve, and we have a lot to celebrate, and I don’t see any harm in a toast.” 

“To the New Year?” Conner tried, holding his glass up. He’d seen people toast on TV a couple times.

“To the New Year,” Clark agreed, clinking his glass with Conner’s. “And to you, Kon-El.”

Conner had already taken a sip and almost choked at Clark’s added words, but before he could think of anything to say back, Ma poked her head around the doorway. “It’s almost midnight, boys! Get on in here!”

Clark laughed again, a deep, warm chuckle, and led the way into the next room. Conner followed. When Ma and Pa both engulfed him in a warm hug, he was surprised, as he usually was, to find that he felt at home in this place, with these people.  

***********

“Hey, kiddo, how was the party?” Wally let the door slam shut behind him, and Barry gave him a look. “Not good I’m guessing?”

 “It was lame,” Wally said. “And I’m going to bed.” 

“It’s not even midnight,” Barry protested. “Did something happen?”

“I thought you were my babysitter—not that I even need one, I’m sixteen for crying out loud—not to be my psychiatrist.” 

“Little harsh there, Wally,” Barry said, and Wally sighed.

“Sorry. It was just lame, okay? I’m nobody at that school. I just want to go to my room.”

“Alright,” Barry said, but he stared down the hallway long after Wally’s door had closed.

It was about an hour later, ten minutes before midnight, when Barry knocked on Wally’s door. “I’ve got cake,” he called as an offering, and after some shuffling, Wally opened the door, a comic book still dangling from his hands. 

“Iris made it,” Barry said, coming in. Wally took a plate and plopped on to his bed. Barry leaned against the corner of Wally’s desk, trying not to push any of the piles of papers or textbooks off.

Wally had already shoveled several forkfuls into his mouth. “Thanks,” he said around the cake. 

Barry waved him off. “It gave me an excuse to eat it too,” he said.

“Iris gives you a hard time about eating cake?” Wally asked. “With  _your_ metabolism?” 

Barry shrugged. “Healthy foods are better for running, no matter your metabolism. Oh,” he added, digging into his pocket and pulling out a phone. “You left this on the coffee table. It’s been buzzing like crazy.” He tossed it to Wally who caught it in one hand.

Barry didn’t say that he’d seen the texts—it hadn’t been his fault, they just showed up, he hadn’t even opened them—but he had seen a couple, like the one from “Robbie G” that said “Happy new years kf” with at least five party emojis and from Artemis that had a kissy face.

“Sorry your party sucked,” Barry said.

“That’s okay,” Wally said, smiling down at his phone. “Who needs them anyway?”

***********

“Roy.” Green Arrow’s hand was heavy on his shoulder.

“Go away,” he said. “I’m not Roy. Not really.”

“Roy, listen.” And it’s Oliver speaking now, not Green Arrow. He’s even taken off the hood and the mask. “Come back with me. It’s New Year’s Eve. We’ll celebrate for a night and start looking again tomorrow. Redouble our efforts, even. A New Year’s resolution.”

“I can’t.”

“Yes, you can.” Oliver turned him around so they were facing each other and stared straight into his eyes. “This isn’t your fault, Roy.”

“It’s entirely my fault, don’t you get that?” Roy snapped back, but it was useless. It was always the same song and dance, the same conversation they’d had since the night he found out he wasn’t the real Roy Harper, but a clone, a fake, an imposter.

 “You’ve been trying to make me.” Oliver shook his head. “But you’re wrong. It’s nobody’s fault but Cadmus'. And mine.”

Roy started to answer, his mouth forming around a retort, but the sudden sound of exploding fireworks startled him.

“Midnight already,” Oliver said. “Happy New Year, Roy. And as long as we’re playing the guilt game, I brought wine.” He held out the paper bag to Roy who took it. He pulled the bottle of wine out and unscrewed the cap. “No cork?” he said, eyebrows raised. “You getting cheap?”

“Hey, I’ll have you know that that wine is very nice wine, and you wouldn’t have any at all, cheap or otherwise, if it weren’t for me.” 

They sat down on the curb together, passing the bottle between them, silent for a while, watching the fireworks explode over Starling City.

“You promise we’ll find him this year? Soon?” Roy asked, eventually.

“Yeah,” Oliver said, letting a hand rest on Roy’s shoulder. “I promise.” 

*********** 

“Megan,” Kaldur’s greeting sounded surprised as she came back into the Cave. “I was not expecting you for a while longer. How was the party with your schoolmates?” 

“It was fun!” Megan was quick to reassure him, enthusiastically, with a smile. But her face fell, and she added, “But it made me miss home. The celebrations here are very different than on Mars. Even how we measure time is so different. I wish Uncle John were here, and we could celebrate together.”

“I know what you mean,” Kaldur said. “I, too, am missing Atlantis. And Aquaman has returned home as well. I think they thought we would prefer to stay behind.” 

“I thought I would have too,” Megan said with a sigh. “I wasn’t expecting to get so nostalgic and homesick.” She brightened almost immediately. “Let’s have our own celebration! A mix of Earth and of both our homes! I’ll bake cookies and we can turn on the TV.”

Kaldur smiled. “Would you like to watch  _Hello, Megan!?”_ he asked. 

Megan was already in the kitchen, sending ingredients flying all over. “Only if you want to,” she called back. “What about in Atlantis; what do you do?”

 Kaldur paused. It was not easy to translate Atlantean traditions onto land. “I could show you a dance,” he suggested. “We could modify it for land, or I could show you in the pool. Whichever you prefer.” 

Megan beamed at him over the counter. “In the pool, of course!” she said. The oven beeped and she grimaced. “Actually, on second thought, we should probably stay around here while we wait for the cookies.”

Kaldur was in the process of walking Megan through a dance step she was having trouble with when the automated voice interrupted their laughter and announced new arrivals—Martian Manhunter and Aquaman.

“Uncle J’onn!” Megan called, delighted. “I thought you weren’t going to be back until next week!”

“A change in plans,” he said, catching his niece in a hug.

“My King,” Kaldur greeted Aquaman, who placed a hand on his shoulder. 

“Happy New Year, in the land dweller’s time,” Aquaman said, smiling. “I brought you some food from Atlantis, a gift from Tula and Garth.”

“Thank you,” Kaldur said, taking the present. “Perhaps we can share, if you are staying.”

“Only if we are not intruding on your festivities,” John said, and Aquaman agreed.

“Of course not!” Megan said. “Kaldur was just showing me one of the Atlantean dances. Oh!” she added as the oven dinged. “And there are the cookies! Please, stay and share with us. Maybe Uncle John and I can share a Martian song with you as well.”

“That would be agreeable,” John said, and so they rung in the New Year with Atlantean dance and food, Martian song, and Earth cookies. When their mentors had gone, Kaldur and Megan washed the dishes. Rather, Kaldur washed and Megan dried.

“This was nice,” Megan said, sending a glass to its place in the cabinent. 

“Yes,” Kaldur agreed. He smiled at her and added, “It is nice to have someone who understands.” 

She smiled back. “Happy New Year, Kaldur’ahm,” she said softly. 

“Happy New Year, M’gann.”


End file.
